Interesting aspect of Chinese culture, and I love the passion for reading that the characters have. ( )

I'm thrown off by the ending and am tempted to accuse the book of being misogynistic.

I think it probably isn't really and is just too slight a work for the nuance that would save it.

I could be wrong. I finished it only moments ago, and it is at least rich enough to get me thinking about its themes. I may come back later and give it an additional star. ( )

Dos adolescentes chinos son enviados a una aldea perdida en las montañas del Fénix del Cielo, cerca de la frontera con el Tíbet, para cumplir con el proceso de «reeducación» implantado por Mao Zedong a finales de los años sesenta. Soportando unas condiciones de vida infrahumanas, con unas perspectivas casi nulas de regresar algún día a su ciudad natal, todo cambia con la aparición de una maleta clandestina llena de obras emblemáticas de la literatura occidental. Así pues, gracias a la lectura de Balzac, Dumas, Stendhal o Romain Roland, los dos jóvenes descubrirán un mundo repleto de poesía, sentimientos y pasiones desconocidas, y aprenderán que un libro puede ser un instrumento valiosísimo a la hora de conquistar a la atractiva Sastrecilla, la joven hija del sastre del pueblo vecino. Con la cruda sinceridad de quien ha sobrevivido a una situación límite, Dai Sijie ha escrito este relato autobiográfico que sorprenderá al lector por la ligereza de su tono narrativo, casi de fábula, capaz de hacernos sonreír a pesar de la dureza de los hechos narrados.

Here's what I wrote in 2008 about this read: "Ah, the world of the Chinese is very different than mine. Never, dear, take for granted your wonderful American privleges . . . For example to read the books of your choosing. Novel tells the tale of young intelluctuals sent to a remote village for re-education; an element of Chairman Mao's Cultural Revolution." ( )

I really enjoyed the writing and the learning about the Chinese re-education, Mao Zedong regime. It was interesting, sad, and sweet to read about these unnamed characters. Some scenes made me a little uncomfortable and the ending is bitter-sweet. I think it is a well crafted novel and I enjoyed most of it. However, it felt unsatisfying not reading a conclusive ending.
There was a weird part where a scene was told in three different perspectives because our narrator was not present. It was kind of cool and interesting but out of place and a little jarring.
3.5 stars. ( )